Getty Sam Howell passing for the Washington Commanders.
The Washington Commanders have two decisions to make this offseason. Washington must figure out their quarterback and head coach situation if they want to be the team they hope to be one day. Ron Rivera has already been fired and Sam Howell could be traded this offseason.
Nick Shook of NFL.com predicted Howell will be one of the quarterbacks on the move this offseason. Shook writes that with Rivera being fired, Howell could be traded.
“Ron Rivera tied himself to Sam Howell in 2023, and for a stretch, he looked somewhat like a fortune teller. But honestly, as soon as the franchise’s ownership changed hands, a shift felt inevitable, save for an unlikely run of on-field success. That didn’t happen, and Rivera lost his job. The transition could also spell doom for Howell, who struggled with turnovers down the stretch and all but wiped out the goodwill he’d built with some surprisingly strong early-season performances.”
Rivera gave Howell a chance and with a new head coach set to come in and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Commanders are in a prime position to draft a franchise quarterback.
“A new regime might not see the same potential in Howell as Rivera did, and with the second overall pick in their possession, Washington is in a prime position to select a new savior under center from what has the makings of an enticing QB class, with USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye having declared their intentions to enter the draft. To some, it’d be awkward seeing Washington replace one UNC quarterback (Howell) with another, but that’s just the way things go sometimes. It’s a cold, results-driven world, and it sure feels like a new signal-caller is destined for Washington.”
Potential Sam Howell Replacements
Unless the Commanders trade up for the No. 1 pick, there doesn’t seem to be a chance that they’ll have the opportunity to draft Caleb Williams. Despite Williams being the consensus No. 1 pick, there are other quarterback options for the Washington Commanders.
The two most notable are Jayden Daniels of LSU and Drake Maye of UNC. Daniels won the Heisman this past college football season and Maye threw for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Mel Kiper’s recent mock draft had the Commanders selecting Daniels with the No. 2 pick. Daniels finished his Heisman season with 3,812 passing yards, 1,134 rushing yards, and 50 total touchdowns.
Washington has every reason to take a quarterback and the expectation is that they do just that.
Sam Howell Can Succeed in a New System
Howell showed signs in Washington that indicated he could be an above-average quarterback in the NFL. For parts of the season, Howell led the league in passing yards. That’s not a direct reflection of success, but it does prove he can make plays with his arm.
The 23-year-old finished with 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns. If it wasn’t for his 21 interceptions, things could be different for Howell in Washington.
Improvements are a possibility for the former UNC quarterback and a new system can help him achieve that.